Lacero
by Rikkitsune
Summary: Latin for: 'to tear to pieces, or mangle'. This is a collection of my random drabbles and snippets, all based on Rurouni Kenshin. Some chapters even contain spoilers and bits from my WIPs! Just a bit of fun! CH 8: Rock star!Kenshin!
1. Star Crossed Lovers

**_Star Crossed Lovers - A Rurouni Kenshin Drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Hello Everyone!_

_I'm taking a leaf out of my good mate **Nekotsuki's **book and will eventually be posting my random drabbles and snippets here in one story. 'Lacero' is the Latin word for 'to tear to pieces or mangle' and I thought that was somehow extremely fitting._

_I wrote this drabble in response to a Drabble Night challenge on my writer's community. The theme was Valentine's Day.You can find the community on my author's profile._

_

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__Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters._

_WARNINGS: WAFF, sap and a wee bit of innuendo. Also, this piece is un-beta'd and has pretty much been posted the way I originally wrote it. So, have fun. That's it!_

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Kaoru asked, touching her fingertips lightly to the scarf covering her eyes. Kenshin had been waiting for her after work, with a red silk scarf and a secretive grin on his face. He had herded her straight into his car, where he had carefully folded and tied the scarf over her eyes before he'd started the engine.

It felt like they'd been driving for _hours_ and Kaoru was rapidly becoming consumed with curiosity. Where were they _going?_

Kenshin chuckled, his rich baritone sending involuntary shivers down Kaoru's spine.

"If I told you that, _koishii_, it wouldn't be a surprise," he chided playfully. Kaoru folded her arms and pouted in her most convincing manner, earning another chuckle from her boyfriend.

They'd been seeing each other for close to a year now. This was their first Valentine's Day together. Kaoru had been worried that Kenshin would forget, particularly since she'd gone out and bought a gift for him earlier that week.

She'd forgotten that Kenshin _loved_ keeping her on her toes.

"We're here," Kenshin said softly as the car swung around a curve, slowing to a gentle stop. Kaoru heard the crunch of gravel under the tyres and wondered for the hundredth time where they were.

She heard Kenshin slide out of his seat and then his door slammed. Then her door was open and her hands were being cradled in his warm, calloused ones.

"Follow me," he purred. "No taking the blindfold off," he added quickly, as Kaoru's hand lifted to uncover her eyes.

With a scowl, Kaoru let him lead her up a gentle slope, stopping in front of what she assumed was a door, if the slight jingling of keys said anything. Once she'd stepped uncertainly over the raised threshold, Kenshin simply swung her deftly into his arms and started climbing a set of stairs.

"You were going too slowly," was his nonchalant answer to her indignant squeak.

At last, they reached their destination. Kaoru was carefully set on her feet, then the red silk was tugged away from her eyes.

Kaoru sucked in a surprised breath as she surveyed her surroundings. They were in the Observatory! A telescope was set up and waiting at the window and a beautiful picnic dinner was spread out on the floor, the twinkling candle flames mimicking the millions of stars shining outside.

"Kenshin," Kaoru breathed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She had no idea he would think of something so romantic.

"There's more," he told her, taking her hand and leading her to the telescope. "Look through this and tell me what you see."

Kaoru peered through the telescope and promptly let out a wordless exclamation of delight.

It was some sort of constellation, taking the form of a deep red rose, only slightly unfurled.

"It's the Rose Nebula," Kenshin supplied.

"It's beautiful!" Kaoru cried. She lifted her face and stopped in surprise as Kenshin seized her and kissed her hungrily.

"It just goes to show, Koishii," he murmured. "My love for you was made in the heavens. Happy Valentine's Day."

"I… got you something too," Kaoru forced out at length, past the lump in her throat. "But, I think your present was much more romantic!" Fighting her embarrassed blush, Kaoru stripped off her work clothes, revealing the set of deep red lacy lingerie she'd bought especially for this night, complete with a garter belt.

Kaoru swallowed hard as Kenshin's eyes melted into molten amber. She had a feeling she was about to be pounced.

"Oh _no_ koishii," Kenshin purred. "I like your present _much_ more."

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**_Author's Notes:_**

_Please read and let me know what you thought!_


	2. Truth or Dare

**_Truth or Dare - A Rurouni Kenshin Drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Hello Everyone!_

_First of all, a big thank you to the people who have read and reviewed Lacero so far. I'm getting around to responding to everybody personally - every review is valued and important!_

_This is another drabble posted on my writer's community, Smoke and Mirrors. It was a response to a choice of 3 lead ins:_

_Option One) "He looked down at the tofu bucket with a sense of gathering doom."  
Option Two) "What.. what do you mean, "Naked!"  
Option Three) "It was a dark and stormy night..."_

_I hope you enjoy!_

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_Disclaimers: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. The drabble is mine._

_WARNINGS: Some language and some adult themes. I've changed Lacero's rating to M, just to be on the safe side._

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night. Rain lashed against the roof in heavy sheets, while forked lightning split the inky black sky. Intermittent thunder rattled the windowpanes, working as a counterpoint to the howling wind.

In other words, it was a real shitter of an evening. Hardly appropriate weather for clubbing. Which meant that Sano, Megumi, Kaoru, Kenshin, Misao and Aoshi were all cooped up inside. Together. In the same room.

"You know what? I really think all of us getting together was a _great_ idea!" Sano drawled, the bottle of sake dangling from his limp fingers.

"You got that right, Rooster-head!" Megumi giggled, setting down her saucer on the coffee table with a loud _clink_. Her face was a little bit pinker than it should have been; her eyes just a little brighter than normal.

"You guys are _drunk_," Kaoru told them loudly, placing that special emphasis on the last word that only the heavily intoxicated can ever really manage. She swayed on the edge of her seat, swinging her arm heavily in Sano and Megumi's direction to punctuate her statement.

The six of them were currently sharing a serviced apartment in the middle of town. It had been Misao's idea; a way for them all to get together and party for a couple of days during their mid-semester breaks from university. Since they were all studying different degrees, they were often on opposite sides of the campus and had precious little spare time to catch up.

This was the third night of their little vacation. The weather was ghastly, so going out was out of the question. Nobody wanted to drive in the torrential rain and it went without saying that no one wanted to fork out an exorbitant amount of money for a taxi. So, Misao and Aoshi had somehow procured a copious amount of sake and the six friends were currently draped over the furniture in the lounge room, all at various stages of getting hammered.

"Kaoru," Kenshin admonished from beside her, sounding worried beneath the slight slurring, "Sit back here. You'll fall off the couch and break your arm if you keep waving it around like that."

With a giggle, Kaoru let herself fall backwards and was soon nestled contentedly in the crook of her boyfriend's arm. "You worry too much," she told him, pushing her face close to Kenshin's and surveying him with wide eyes. "I have superhuman reflexes."

Something sounding suspiciously like "Yeah, like The Incredible Hulk," came from Sano's direction.

"Let's play a game!" Misao suggested brightly, jumping in before Kaoru had time to register the comment.

"What kind of game?" Aoshi asked slowly, the tone of his voice suggesting that not only was he off his face, he was also scared.

"Truth or dare!" Misao exclaimed triumphantly.

"YEAH!" was the deafening, overly enthusiastic response from Kaoru and Megumi. "That's a _wicked_ idea!"

"Um, maybe we should do this when we're sober…?" Kenshin began, only to quail under the three murderous female looks shot in his direction. A quick glance at Sano and Aoshi told him that they both had misgivings of their own. However, they were completely silent, studiously avoiding Kenshin's eyes. Those yellow-bellied…

Kenshin made a mental note to get even with them _both_ for their lack of spine, preferably once he was sober.

"You're not a _coward_ are you, Ken-san?" Megumi asked, tittering behind her hand. "You're not really _afraid_ of a little game of truth or dare? Honestly, men are such wimps…"

Ego stung, Kenshin let the alcohol take over, boosting his bravado.

…and everything went screaming downhill from there.

* * *

"What… what do you mean _naked_?" Kaoru was sober in the blink of an eye. Kissing someone blindfolded and writing your name in the air with your ass was one thing. Being completely naked and trying to get into the pool complex without being seen was another thing altogether.

"You heard me," Megumi said with a wicked grin. "You didn't want to take Truth? This is what you get!"

"What was the Truth question again?" Kaoru asked, desperately trying to stall for time.

"When, where and for how long did you and Kenshin last have sex?" Megumi asked gleefully. Now Kaoru knew for _certain_ that her friend was smashed. She would _never_ ask a question like that unless alcohol was involved. A lot of alcohol.

A quick exchanged glance with Kenshin had Kaoru's face beginning to heat. She _couldn't_ answer that question, no matter what. The last time she and Kenshin had had sex was a week ago, on Megumi's dining room table while she and Sano had been in the kitchen, getting dinner ready. Looking back, it had been pretty thrilling, knowing that they could get caught at any moment. The whole thing had taken about three minutes or so, with the two of them desperately trying to be quiet.

If Megumi found out, Kaoru would be _dead_. Then she'd be banned from Megumi's apartment forever. She didn't have a choice.

"Uh… I suppose I'll have to take the dare then," Kaoru said reluctantly. Maybe if she could sneak a bit more sake before she left…

She stood up and started to take off her jacket, only to have Kenshin grasp her by the arm and yank her back down onto the lounge.

"I will take the dare in Kaoru's place," he told Megumi, teeth clenched. He rose jerkily, beginning to unbutton his shirt. "I don't want her having to do this. Do you accept?"

The statement was met with a nanosecond pause before giggles erupted on all sides.

"I accept, Ken-san!" Megumi tittered between gasps as the laughter eventually died down.

"Yeah! Misao agreed. "We've always wanted to see you in the buff!"

This seemed to set everyone off again. Even Aoshi was snickering into his knuckles. Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged one exasperated look before heading over to the front door of the apartment.

"I'll follow you with a blanket," Kaoru whispered. "Just in case—" she broke off as a projectile shot past them, bouncing off the door and onto the carpet.

"There you go Kenshin!" Sano yelled, still shaking with laughter. "Just in case you bump into any old ladies or children!"

Kenshin shot Sano a death glare. He was _so_ getting even later. As Kenshin began to form a diabolical plan of revenge, he looked down at the tofu bucket with a sense of gathering doom.

He was almost positive that the pool complex had surveillance cameras…

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**_Author's Notes_**

_Please read and let me know what you think!_


	3. Treasure Hunt

**_Treasure Hunt - A Rurouni Kenshin Drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Hello Again! Here's yet another drabble that was posted in response to a drabble challenge over at Smoke and Mirrors. Here's the challenge:_

_Use one of the following;_

_1) In retrospect, it was all the fault of the cherry trees. (Opening sentence) _

2) "Well," he said, " I guess that's one way to take care of the Spring Cleaning." (Concluding sentence)

3) She refused to be defeated by a box of eggs, a package of food coloring, and a pot of water. (somewhere-in-the-middle sentence)

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_Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or it's characters. The drabble is mine._

_WARNINGS: This drabble has some pretty strong adult themes. I wouldn't read it if you are offended by kinkiness, obscure references to S&M, or sex in general._

* * *

In retrospect, it was all the fault of the cherry trees. The softly falling pink petals had obviously given the man naughty ideas.

Misao scowled up at the ceiling, feeling incredibly vulnerable, lying flat on her back. For the hundredth time, she berated herself for being so utterly gullible. What on earth had possessed her to just _follow_ his instructions? Was she _completely_ stupid?

With an exasperated growl, Misao conceded that yes, she probably was.

Giving her wrists a gentle tug, she concluded that the handcuffs were just as locked and tight as they had been thirty seconds ago. And by her own doing, no less.

* * *

It had all started when she finished work that afternoon. When she'd gone into the staff room to collect her things and leave, there had been a note, folded intricately and sitting innocently on top of her handbag.

Intrigued, Misao had opened it and was surprised to recognise her friend Aoshi's handwriting. What was he doing leaving notes for her _here_? He worked on the other side of town!

The contents of the note, however, quickly dispelled any logistical thought.

It was a treasure hunt.

Predictably, Misao's eyes acquired a manic gleam. She _loved_ treasure hunts. And by the sounds of it, this would be one of the more interesting ones she'd ever done.

Following the first set of instructions, she had driven to the local post office and given her name to the clerk, who had presented her with a small parcel. When she'd opened it, one-handed as she was driving, she'd almost collided with a tree when the contents turned out to be a set of pale blue, Victoria's Secret lingerie.

Pulling over hastily to avoid causing a pile-up, Misao had read the enclosed note with disbelief. Surely this wasn't from _Aoshi_?

It was. And the note was her next set of instructions. Apparently, she had to go to the address on the paper and collect another package.

When she pulled up in front of Voyeur, the upper-class boutique for… discerning couples, Misao began to wonder what the _hell_ was going on.

Determined not to chicken out however, Misao had marched into the shop with all the bravado she could muster and asked the shop assistant if there was a package being kept under her name.

Back in the (safely parked and stationary) car, Misao eyed the parcel with trepidation before opening it.

Handcuffs. Fluffy pink ones. And a note, telling her to head to Aoshi's apartment. He'd even given her a key. Too curious to give up the hunt now, Misao shrugged to herself and did as she was told.

Opening the door to Aoshi's apartment, Misao had been confronted by a sea of pink. Sakura petals. _Everywhere_. They were strewn all over the carpet, heading determinedly in the direction of Aoshi's bedroom. Misao followed the trail with bemused fascination, clutching the packages in her arms.

She sucked in a breath as she stepped into Aoshi's room. There were black satin sheets on the bed, which was also covered in sakura petals. There were also many, many candles placed around the room, casting a gentle, flickering glow.

There was a note on one of the pillows. Unable to help herself, Misao crossed the room and picked it up.

_Put on the lingerie. Get on the bed and cuff yourself to the bed-head using the handcuffs. I'll be along shortly, with 2 litres of triple chocolate fudge ice cream as your prize._

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my _God_.

Aoshi was going to seduce her.

And she was just standing here?

* * *

Now, as she lay on the bed, waiting for Aoshi, Misao was plagued by the demons of self-doubt. What was she _thinking_? He'd never really expressed much interest in her as more than a good friend, yet here she was, dressed like a blow-up doll and handcuffed to his bed.

It _had_ to be a prank. Misao could feel the flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck. How was she going to explain her way out of this one?

She would tell him that she was only here because of the triple chocolate fudge ice cream he'd promised her in the note.

Oh, this was going to end badly. There was no way he'd actually think she'd take the bait. Right?

Misao jerked in surprise as the bedroom door swung open. This was it. He was here, probably armed with a camera to take compromising pictures and then plaster them all over the Internet. He _would _do something like that, just to punish her for being such a naïve moron.

Unable to face the mockery and humiliation that was sure to come, Misao pulled her knees up to her chest, averting her face and scrunching her eyes closed. Maybe if she curled up tightly enough, she would disappear!

She completely missed the slow smile of triumph that blossomed upon seeing her there.

She began to tremble when the mattress dipped under the weight of another person. Apparently she hadn't disappeared just yet. She kept her eyes closed, hoping he would just give up and leave her be, or at least unlock the handcuffs so she could escape.

She nearly sprang off the bed when she felt cool air blowing gently against her exposed neck. Okay. So he knew she was here and she knew he was here. Time to face the music.

She turned her head and met Aoshi's calm blue eyes, with irritation masking most of her embarrassment. "What?" she snapped. "Got a problem?"

"Apparently yes," Aoshi answered, supremely unruffled. "You're handcuffed to my bed, wearing nothing but sakura petals and some very expensive lingerie."

Eep.

"Well," Misao spluttered, "I'm just here for the ice cream."

"Is that so?" Aoshi asked raising an eyebrow.

"Damn straight," Misao answered, gaining confidence. Maybe she could brazen her way out of this situation. She uncurled her body, trying to adopt an appropriately jaunty pose.

"Well then, since you've followed all my instructions to the letter," Aoshi began, pausing to look Misao over thoroughly, "I suppose I had better give you your prize." Rising, Aoshi ignored Misao's fiery blush and picked up the tub of ice cream lying on the floor, then climbed back onto the bed, straddling Misao's legs before she could move.

"W-what are you doing?" Misao squeaked, trying not to freak out at the distance between them. Or lack thereof.

"Giving you the ice cream I promised," Aoshi answered her mildly. "I am a man of my word, after all." Taking the lid off, he dipped his fingers into the chocolatey goo and then licked them clean with deliberate slowness, making sure to maintain eye contact with his wide-eyed captive the whole time.

Misao, meanwhile, was trying not to hyperventilate. She loved chocolate ice cream. She also loved perving on Aoshi. So, logically, the only thing better than either of those two was perving on Aoshi while he ate chocolate ice cream.

Getting a hold of herself, Misao cleared her throat. "No cheating Aoshi! That ice cream is mine by right!"

"So it is," Aoshi agreed. Uh-oh. She really did _not_ like that look in his eyes…

Swooping down, Aoshi proceeded to kiss her senseless. Too shell-shocked to do anything except cooperate, Misao let her tongue tangle with his, savouring the rich taste of the ice cream.

This was _definitely_ going on the list of her most favourite things.

Eventually, the pair broke apart, with Aoshi failing to conceal his smug satisfaction. Breathless from his kiss, Misao gathered her scattered wits. She had to know what was behind this sudden change in their relationship.

"It was the cherry trees," Aoshi answered her, seeing the unspoken question forming in her eyes. "When we were walking through that grove of them on the way to Kenshin's house the other week."

She _knew_ it. She didn't know whether to curse the cherry trees or thank them.

"I had a sudden vision of you, on my bed, wearing sakura petals and nothing else," he continued. "So, I formulated an ingenious plan to bring it about."

"One problem," Misao interjected. "I'm wearing lingerie. So _nyah!_ There is _no _way I'm getting naked. No way!"

"Why do you think I handcuffed you?" Aoshi asked, smiling gleefully as the colour drained from Misao's face. He stretched out along the length of her body, being careful to balance his weight on his hands.

"Be a good girl, Misao. I promise you can have as much ice cream as you want once we're done."

**_

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_****_Author's Notes_**

_I know this one is pretty long, for a drabble (it's almost a vignette!), but I would be soooo grateful if you read it and let me know what you think!_


	4. Warm Light of Day

**_Warm Light of Day - A Rurouni Kenshin Drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Wow, it's been a while since this fic got any of my attention. Mostly due to the interference of Real Life, both in my case and in the case of the mods over at **Smoke and Mirrors**. No drabble challenges from that quarter of late, unfortunately._

_However, I am currently trying to catch up with an individual drabble challenge that I took up on my LiveJournal a few weeks ago. The challenge was to take up 10 drabble requests, each falling in a fandom you were willing to write for. I chose Rurouni Kenshin, Labyrinth, Fruits Basket, Inuyasha and Sailor Moon. I got requests for just about every fandom!_

_This drabble was written for **Ravyn**, who requested a dark morning-after Kenshin. Unfortunately, this idea just popped into my head and wouldn't go away, so it's what she got, depite it not technically meeting her requirements._

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_Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or it's characters. The drabble is mine._

_WARNINGS: Sexual references and adult themes. **Also, this drabble is a spoiler for one of my other fics, Slave to the 4 4. It is depicting events that will take place around the Chapter 9/10 mark. If you DON'T want to know what happens, don't read this drabble.**_

* * *

Kenshin opened his eyes, blinking blearily at the piercing white sunlight filtering in through the studio windows. 

It took him a few seconds to register exactly where he was. When he did, however, he couldn't stop the brief, self-indulgent smirk from blooming across his face. Turning carefully onto his side, he surveyed his sleeping companion with smug confidence.

She was still fast asleep, completely naked and curled into the nest of blankets with her head resting on her arm. Her long black hair was tangled and her makeup had left dark circles under her eyes.

She was perfect.

Last night had been amazing. He was grateful that he hadn't had anything to drink beforehand—all the better to recall last night in vivid detail. He'd been slightly taken aback when she told him she was a virgin, but at the same time, he was kind of pleased. He'd done everything in his power to make sure she would never forget her first time.

Never forget _him_.

It had been so incredibly _hot_. Kenshin fought to control a blush as he remembered the two of them dancing, covered in sweat and shedding their clothing. Poor Kaoru had believed he was gay, right up until he'd slipped his fingers into her underwear.

He knew the grin he was currently wearing was evil in its purest form. Kaoru's reaction had been priceless. She'd resisted, but not for long. In fact, she'd seemed almost too willing to give in.

Kenshin reached across to pull the blankets up around her shoulders. It was bad enough that they were sleeping on the studio floor, she shouldn't have to wake up feeling cold as well.

Kenshin wrapped himself around her, nuzzling into her neck and smiling at the sleepy grumble she made. Thank God it was Sunday. No classes today. He had no idea what time it was, but judging by the position of the sun, it was probably close to eleven.

Breathing in the smell of her shampoo, Kenshin finally allowed himself to poke at the ugly thought lurking at the back of his mind: he'd had a sexual encounter with a student. Not only that, he'd been sober. And enjoyed it. A lot. He had no regrets whatsoever. But the absolute worst part of it was, he had no intention of ending it here.

For better or worse, Kaoru Kamiya was his. Now that they'd started this, they would continue it, come what may. It just wasn't his style to have one night stands, particularly with a woman he'd been seriously interested in.

It suddenly occurred to Kenshin that his lover had practically no idea what was going on between them. After all, she'd always thought he had no interest in women. Silly Kaoru. Well, he'd just have to tell her when she woke up. And if she had any objections to being exclusively his, he would… _convince_ her to see his way of thinking.

Yes, Kenshin was quite sure it would be a very productive morning.

* * *

**_Author's Notes_**

_As always, thoughts and comments are extremely welcome, particularly from fans of **Slave to the 4 4**._


	5. Role Reversal

**_Role Reversal - A Rurouni Kenshin Drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

* * *

_Hellooooo! -waves-_

_Here I am with yet another teaser - er - I mean DRABBLE! Yeah, that's it..._

_It's another 'morning after' scenario, but this one is a lot darker and edgier than Warm Light of Day. It's written in the universe of one of my as-yet-unpublished WIPs. If you go to my author profile, **Onnarashii Gekido** may ring a bell._

_I've dedicated this to **Ravyn**, since it fulfills the criteria she set me originally for her drabble request. Enjoy, honey!_

* * *

_Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters. The drabble is mine._

_WARNINGS: This drabble lives up to its M rating. Sexual references, alcohol abuse and weaponry. If you're underage, shoo, shoo! Everyone else, have fun!_

* * *

****

When Kenshin opened his eyes, the effects of last night's drinking binge hit him like a sledge hammer.

_Fuck. I drank too much. _Way_ too much. Now I'm going to be slow as shit all fucking day. Hiko's gonna kick my ass._

With an irritated groan, Kenshin rolled onto his side and almost landed on top of the woman lying next to him. He stopped himself mid-roll and flung his weight backwards again, so his legs lay flat on the mattress while his torso was turned towards her.

He didn't want to wake her yet. Not before he'd had a good look anyway.

Kenshin took in her sleeping features with interest, quietly amused that the haze of his hangover had caused him to forget about her, albeit temporarily. He didn't even know her name.

In sleep, her features lost some of their hardness, particularly around the eyes and mouth. She was still insanely attractive when she was awake, of course, she wouldn't be sleeping next to him otherwise. However, unconsciousness lent her face a softness that made her appear more feminine.

She was completely naked, unabashedly sprawled out on her back. His black satin sheets were twisted around her slim, muscular legs, contrasting with the paleness of her skin, but perfectly matching the ebony of her hair.

She looked good in his bed.

She had _felt_ good in his bed too, as he recalled. The longer Kenshin sat and observed her, the clearer the memory of last night's activities became. The sex had been wild, frantic, brutal and utterly satisfying. They had both been smashed out of their minds, but the alcohol had posed no hindrance to either of their sex drives.

Kenshin smirked to himself as he remembered that they'd fucked twice before they even made it to the bedroom; once against the back of his front door and again, doggy-style, sprawled across his dining room table. Her screams of pleasure had been music to his ears.

She was still sound asleep.

Easing gently into a sitting position (and ignoring the pounding in his head), Kenshin surveyed the bedroom with smugness. Torn scraps of clothing and used condoms were scattered across the wine-coloured carpet like some perverse parody of confetti. The curtains were drawn – one of them had obviously had the foresight to close them. Sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning was never a great way to start the day, especially when you felt like you'd been flattened by a fucking steam-roller.

As his eyes slid back to his lover's prone form, a small patch of colour on her inner thigh caught his eye. Carefully balancing his weight on his knees, Kenshin leaned over her to get a better look.

It was a tattoo. A sakura petal, of all things, delicately inked onto her velvety skin. Kenshin knew that he'd conducted a… rather thorough examination of that part of her body the night before, but he'd obviously been too drunk to remember such a small detail. He would have to ask her about the significance of the sakura petal when she woke up. When they… talked. Kenshin suppressed a shudder.

As he moved away, he was momentarily distracted by a metallic glint on his bedside table.

_My .45. Shit. _It wasn't like him to be so careless – he _always_ hid his weaponry carefully, in case he ever brought company back to his apartment. His prized possession, his _daisho_,was stowed carefully under the bed. All of his other guns were scattered in various nooks and crannies around the place.

All the women he'd screwed over the years had had no idea they'd been fucking an _Aku Soku Zan_ assassin. Much less the boss' right-hand man.

The woman next to him began to stir, so Kenshin quickly yanked the bedside drawer open and dropped the gun inside.

"What are you doing?" Kenshin turned his head to find a pair of sleepy blue eyes regarding him with curiosity.

"You used up all my rubbers," he answered her, closing the drawer. "And you wrecked my handcuffs."

He was rewarded with a lazy, self-satisfied smile as the brilliant blue grew sharp and alert. "I didn't hear you complaining overly much about it last night," she retorted, sitting up. She grasped her mass of black hair and deftly twisted it into a knot at the base of her neck.

Kenshin noted with approval that she didn't seem to give a rat's ass that she was completely nude. Women who scrambled to cover themselves the morning after always gave him the shits.

But then again, _he_ was completely nude as well. It was easier to slouch around in the buff when you had company.

"Hung-over?" he asked. He was dying for an aspirin, and it would seem a lot less weak if he was getting pain relievers for both of them.

"Nah," she answered, stretching. The movement lifted her breasts high and Kenshin tried not to leer. He wasn't so sure he succeeded.

"I've always been able to sleep off a hard night's drinking," she continued, lifting an eyebrow as she caught him staring. "You up for another round then?"

So it begins. The clinginess. Kenshin shrugged nonchalantly. "I have to get to work."

"Feh. Your loss." She stood up, caught side of the bedside clock and swore colourfully.

"What?"

"I gotta be somewhere. Like, right fucking now." She plucked her leather pants off the floor and tugged them on, not bothering with her underwear. She noticed the long rips in the legs and frowned slightly. Those had been her favourite pair of pants.

"Don't you want to shower?" Kenshin asked, slightly surprised. He'd half-expected her to be all emotional and have expectations about where their 'relationship' was heading. He'd thought that he'd have to let her down gently, disentangle himself from her and call her a cab.

It was one of the reasons he never took his one-night stands home with him. It was always messy the next morning. Last night had been a mistake, he admitted to himself, brought on by too much alcohol. He'd been too trashed to book a hotel room and had come home on auto-pilot.

That being said, the fact that this woman seemed to be as unconcerned as he usually was grated slightly against his male ego.

"I can shower at my own apartment," she answered distractedly, as she wrestled with her top. Backing up to him she asked "Can you do the laces?"

Slightly bemused, Kenshin did as she asked, threading and tightening the satin cords across her back that held her top closed. He'd had fun taking that top off with his teeth.

"Thanks," she stepped away from him and fished her shoes and purse out from among the debris littering the floor.

She was striding out towards the front door before he could say anything else, fully intending to leave. Feeling a bit annoyed, Kenshin followed her and caught her by the upper arm as she was reaching for the doorknob.

"You're just gonna leave?" he winced inwardly at the whininess in his tone.

She turned around, looking surprised. "Well, yes actually, that was the plan. I'm running late."

Frowning, Kenshin gave her arm a tug, but she didn't move. "At least eat something before you go."

He didn't want her to leave before _he_ was ready for her to go. And he wasn't ready yet. The role-reversal was rattling him, but, even worse, it was also stimulating his interest.

"I don't eat breakfast," she said mulishly, trying to extricate her arm, but with no success. Kenshin just tightened his grip. "Look. I was under the impression that this was a one-night thing. Am I wrong?"

Kenshin assessed her steadily, looking for weaknesses. He'd be damned if he'd crack first. Still holding on to her arm, he answered her question with another: "Is that what _you_ want?"

She shrugged, looking exasperated. "I don't know. You're a first class fuck. I wouldn't mind doing you again, if that's what you're asking."

There. He'd won that round. She'd cracked. "Give me your number," he demanded, letting her go.

She opened the door swiftly and slipped out before he could stop her.

"I don't give out my number," she said over her shoulder as she strode down the hallway. "My name is Keiko. If you want me, come and find me." Then she was gone.

After he'd stared after her for a good minute, Kenshin realised that he was standing in his doorway, in full view, without a stitch of clothing on. Angrily, he yanked on the door, letting it slam shut.

He was thoroughly irritated. Just when he thought he'd gotten the upper hand, she'd got one over on him. Fuck it all. He'd always been a bad sport.

This woman wasn't acting _anything_ like the others he'd had before. Her 'I don't give a fuck attitude' matched his own perfectly, which, for some inexplicable reason, made his hackles rise.

She _should _care. Kenshin knew his own appeal all too well and the way women reacted to it. He wasn't the type you could just screw and leave. _He_ was the one that did the screwing and the leaving.

Heading into the kitchen, Kenshin procured himself two aspirin and a glass of water.

He was going to track that Keiko down and _make _her care. She had no idea who she was tangling with. If she'd thought he wouldn't be able to find her, she was sorely mistaken. A Christian name gave him more than what he needed. He'd have her place under surveillance inside a week.

He was going to make her his so completely, she wouldn't even be able to _breathe_ without his express permission. And then, when she was so far gone it was pathetic, he'd get rid of her in the most entertaining way possible.

Kenshin dropped the empty glass into the sink with a smirk and walked back into his bedroom to find some clothes.

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**_Author's Notes_**

_Good? Not so good? Crappy? Utter shit? I want to know! All (constructive) feedback is welcomed with open arms._


	6. Leap of Faith

**_Leap of Faith - A Rurouni Kenshin drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Hello everyone! The line break function isn't working at the moment, so you'll all have to deal with my DIY line-breaks until FFN gets the problem sorted out._

_I've joined another LiveJournal community; this one is called **100 situations**. I write Kenshin/Kaoru pairings in response to one-word prompts. This one was **Jump**. It's based on my WIP **Shadow Guardians**. See my author's profile for more details.Enjoy!_

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_WARNINGS: Just slight language._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters._

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"Okay, remind me why we're up here?" Sano asked, proud that his voice wavered only slightly. It was bad enough to be standing so close to those three… _creatures_, without being up here as well.

On the roof. Of a 40 storey building. And he was shit-scared of heights.

"We're up here," the red-headed Other began patiently, squashing his temper, "because Enishi, his priests and his assassins are about to bust into your apartment with murderous intent."

A pause. "I thought stopping this kind of thing from happening was supposed to be _your_ job," Sano accused, jabbing a finger in the general direction of the three dark-haired women without actually looking at them.

Looking at them directly made his psychic senses go haywire. Their auras were completely black, twisting and mingling with their corporeal forms like tainted vapour. It was like they had no clear edges, no substance. Which, when Sano thought about it, was pretty much true.

Even now, that he knew that they were the Shadow Guardians, he still felt uneasy. Their appearance at the apartment he shared with Aoshi had been frightening and unexpected.

"Were you paying attention at _all_ back there?" one of them snapped. Her cinnamon brown eyes flashed dangerously with inhuman light and her long black hair rippled in a breeze Sano couldn't feel. "We're powerless against Enishi. Don't you understand? We cannot stop him from doing _anything_."

"He will most definitely kill you both if we don't get you out of here _now_," one of her companions firmly declared.

"What makes you think we can trust you?" Sano accused, irked that his companion was contributing nothing to a discussion that was fairly important, in the scheme of things.

"We're all you've got right," the smallest Shadow Guardian answered. She looked anxious, which didn't exactly fill him with confidence. "You have no choice but to come with us."

Below them, they heard the tell-tale _smash_ of a door being broken down, followed by small explosions that were undoubtedly attacking spells. The Other strode quickly to the edge of the roof-top, looking down with a measuring expression on his face. When he turned back around, his determination was clear for all to see.

Sano jumped as a pair of black wings sprang from the red-head's shoulder-blades. Beside him, Aoshi's somewhat strangled intake of breath indicated his shock.

"Do you want to carry one of them or shall I?" the question was addressed to the Shadow Guardians.

"What!" Sano squeaked.

"Carry us where?" They were the first words to come out of Aoshi's mouth in over 10 minutes.

The diminutive Shadow Guardian approached him, her expression slightly apologetic. "We need to get off the rooftop," she told Aoshi, grasping his hands. He tried hard not to recoil at the icy sensation. "Trust me," she continued, pulling him forward. "We're less conspicuous than the Other, it won't take us long to get to safety."

Sano gaped as Aoshi reluctantly allowed himself to be led towards the ledge. "What are you _doing?_" he hissed.

Aoshi turned his head and speared Sano with a stern glare. "I don't like this situation any more than you do," he answered coldly. "However, I have no intention of dying before I finish my PhD."

Before Sano could retort in an appropriately scathing manner, the door flew open behind them.

Things got messy then.

As one, they all made a desperate break for the edge of the rooftop, their pursuers hot on their heels.

Sano felt the red-hot heat of a spell graze his left side and knew there was nothing else for it. Screwing his eyes shut, he leapt.

He wasn't sure if he screamed or not. He was falling so fast, he couldn't see or breathe. There was only the rushing roar of air in his ears.

Then there were hands on his arms, biting in painfully and hauling him upwards out of his freefall. A dizzy glance upwards told him it was the brown-eyed Guardian who'd snapped at him before.

"I have you," she assured brusquely, blinking in mild surprise as he lost consciousness.

"He is brave," Kenshin observed from behind them, his voice pitched for Kaoru's ears only.

"Yes," Kaoru agreed, flying steadily alongside him. "He is afraid of heights."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "You noticed it too then."

"Of course," she answered, sounding slightly insulted. "You would have to be blind not to."

Kenshin turned his head to the side and observed her, knowing full well that she knew exactly what he was doing.

She was beautiful in this lifetime. The black hair, blue eyes and pale skin of her host body suited her well; it was so similar to her first body, the one she'd had when she was still human.

Although he was annoyed at the stupidity of the two humans in getting themselves embroiled in this mess, Kenshin had to admit he was kind of happy about it. It meant he was able to see her earlier than he'd planned.

Kaoru felt uncommonly comfortable under Kenshin's scrutiny. His attitude and bearing was so familiar; he acted as though he already knew her.

"What are you _really_ doing here?' she asked, suspicion colouring her tone. "I find it hard to believe an Other would be so interested in the mere fate of two humans."

Kenshin smiled to himself. "You will see, Kaoru. You will see."

_**Author's Notes**_

_Let me know what you all think!_


	7. The Universal Language

**_The Universal Language - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction Snippet _**

By Rikkitsune

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_I have discovered how to make the line breaks work! Hurrah! Unfortunately, it requires a bit of wrangling with the HTML mode, which isn't the most fun in the world._

_This (SHORT!) piece is actually part of a gift!fic I'm working on for **Via x Infinito**, lovely girl that she is. It still has a fair way to go before it's finished (it's about 7 pages so far), but the finished product with be basically PWP and therefore completely unsuitable for posting here. If you're interested in following the fic, check my author's profile from time to time; I will make sure to post a link to it for you._

_The summary is basically this: Kaoru, believing herself to be alone, gets tipsy and lets her hair down in her apartment on a Friday night. What she doesn't know is, her attractive red-headed neighbour has been watching her, and things quickly take a turn for the risque. Ths snippet picks up where simple dancing morphs into a 2 way striptease. Enjoy!

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WARNINGS: Adult themes and stripping. _

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters.

WARNINGS: Adult themes and stripping.

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As her blood began to heat, Kaoru danced faster, losing herself in the reverberating thrum of the bass in her chest cavity. She turned slowly, hips rolling, until her back faced the window. Taking her time, she brought her hands back and unclasped her bra, letting the black lace fall away completely. 

Kenshin pressed a little closer to the window. _Oh. My. God. She just took off her bra._

With a wicked smile, Kaoru covered her breasts with her hands as she turned to face her captivated neighbour. She let her hips swing back and forth, making her stomach muscles clench and ripple. She raised an eyebrow at the redhead, daring him to make the next move. If he wanted to see more, he was going to have to play by _her_ rules.

Kenshin, dry mouthed, recognised the challenge for what it was. So, the little minx wanted a game of striptease huh? Well, she'd been so _generous_ so far, playing along couldn't hurt. Could it? He glanced downwards wryly at the beginnings of a tent in his pants. Well… maybe it could.

Holding up one finger, _give me a minute_, Kenshin turned away from the window and headed towards his stereo. With a small smile, he put on his favourite dance CD and turned the volume up as loud as he could without bringing down the wrath of the biker living next door.

Returning to the window, Kenshin flashed his neighbour a cocky grin before beginning to move in time to the thumping bassline.

Across the way, Kaoru could feel her temperature begin to rise even further. Ye Gods, that man could _move_. She watched, feeling a bit breathless, as he slipped one side of his shirt off his shoulder. She had seen him bare-chested before, yes, but this time, he was taking his shirt off for _her_. Just like he had probably seen her in her dressing gown before, but this time, she was stripping for his eyes alone.

Kenshin pulled his shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder, smoothing his palms down over his well-muscled abdomen. He watched with satisfaction as she observed him with unconcealed excitement. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans and cocked his head to the side, licking his lips. It was her turn now.

Feeling a sudden prickling of nerves, Kaoru knew that she required more Dutch courage. She smiled impishly and turned to the side, dropping her hands slowly so that he could see her naked chest side on. Reaching for the bottle on the lamp table, she took a long swig, relishing the fiery taste and the confidence it gave her. Quickly, before she could lose her nerve, she unzipped the side of her skirt.

Reaching up, she pulled her hair clip out, letting her long black hair tumble down her back. Turning back to the window, she averted her eyes while she massaged her scalp, rubbing away the headache that having her hair up always caused. As a really good dance track started, Kaoru lifted her arms above her head, twisting her wrists sensuously to draw his attention upward. Then, she started shaking her hips, the sharp movements causing her skirt to fall to the floor in a crumpled heap, exposing her black lace underwear. Lowering her arms once more, Kaoru let them come to rest on her hips and sent her redheaded neighbour a look that plainly said _now you_.

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**_Author's Notes _**

As always, reviews are welcomed with open arms! I want to know what you all think. Is it trashy? Not trashy? Hawt? Crappy? I'll never know unless you tell me!


	8. The Importance of Being Worthy

**_The Importance of Being Worthy - A Rurouni Kenshin drabble_**

**_By Rikkitsune_**

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_Hello Everyone!_

_Glad to see FFN's line breaks are working again. Here's another chapter of Lacero, since I can't seem to knuckle down and seriously work on my bigger fics. It was written for **100 situations** and the prompt was 'worthy'._

_I've been playing around with this idea for a while, but I never thought it would work as a proper fic. So, I'm hoping to do a series of drabbles with this theme. I hope you like it!_

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_WARNINGS: Just some pervy thoughts and some adult themes. Don't get a heart attack, y'all!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters._

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****

As she stood outside the door to her interview, Kaoru resisted the urge to smooth her hair and fuss with her outfit. It was very possible that she was currently being watched via surveillance camera and she needed to appear as calm and confident as possible, if she wanted any chance at snagging this job. She could only hope like hell that they'd find her worthy.

She'd taken extra care dressing that morning, wearing her usual get-up, but with a few extra touches that she hoped would help her stand out from the other applicants. In this business, standing out was absolutely crucial to one's career. You couldn't afford to be forgettable, or mainstream; you'd simply get passed over.

Kaoru loved to experiment with colour, especially bright, almost fluorescent ones. Currently, she was going through an electric blue phase, so her outfit was completely black with heavy influences of her 'colour of the moment.' Thick blue streaks adorned her long, straight black hair, which was currently piled into a messy bun on top of her head. The colour perfectly matched her eye shadow, nail polish and the lacing on her black corset top and knee high boots. Her black leather pants were strategically ripped to show off her blue fishnet stockings and the glint of silver from the chains around her waist offset her spiked wrist cuffs and collar quite nicely.

One might say that she looked like a Harajuku cosplayer, or a goth/punk wannabe. The truth was, that while she may have _started out_ that way, nowdays, she was the real deal. Kaoru had enough experience in her field to know how to dress the way she did and still pull it off effectively.

As she heard footsteps from behind the door, Kaoru took a deep breath and schooled her features into a cheerful, but not overeager smile. The heavy metal panel eased back with a squeak to reveal a surprisingly average looking woman wearing glasses with her hair pulled back severely from her face. She was holding a clipboard against her chest and the tautness around her eyes and mouth suggested that she was tired, possibly cranky and definitely not in the mood to be messed around.

"Good afternoon," Kaoru addressed her politely. "My name is Kamiya Kaoru and I'm here for an interview at two o'clock."

The woman's face relaxed a bit as she checked her clipboard. "Ah yes, Kamiya-san, I have you right here. Do come in." She stepped to the side and waved Kaoru in. As she stepped over the threshold, the woman clasped her hand in a brief handshake as she shouldered the door closed behind her.

"I'm Sekihara Tae, Kaos' human resources manager," she said as she took off down the long hallway at a brisk pace.

"Pleased to meet you, Sekihara-san," Kaoru told the woman as she fell into step beside her. "You look as though you've been extremely busy all day, I imagine there have been many applicants."

"Oh yes," Sekihara-san answered off-handedly, waving a hand. "I think we've seen about 70 since 9 o'clock this morning."

70. Holy shit. With an effort, Kaoru restrained herself from gulping, but she could feel a fine film of sweat break out on her forehead. If they'd seen that many, there was no _way_ she was going to make it.

"Here we are!" Sekihara-san said brightly as they strode into the large open space at the end of the hall. Kaoru took the room in with a glance and realized that Kaos probably did most of their work here. One corner was taken up with equipment: the drums, mics and amps were all set-up and arranged carefully. Kaoru noticed that there were two microphones, which she took as a good sign. Kaos were obviously expecting to find someone today, and if they were still interviewing applicants, maybe all hope wasn't lost yet.

There was a small recording studio behind that and the opposite corner boasted a couple of long tables piled high with papers, power cords, guitar picks, drumsticks and fast food containers. Kaoru suppressed a grin. Hard core rockers indeed. She was willing to bet money that the rhythm guitarist was the one that had order the Happy Meal.

In the middle of the room, there were a couple of long black leather lounges and a low lacquered coffee table.

Reclining on one lounge, looking totally relaxed, were the four remaining members of Kaos.

Kaos was one of the most popular, most successful metal bands in Japan and they were fast making a name for themselves on the international circuit. They were famous, both for their kick-ass music and for their unfairly good-looking members.

Himura Kenshin played the lead guitar and was one half of the vocals team. His long red hair, violet eyes and handsome face made him a hit with the band's female fans and Kaoru was no exception. Personally, she preferred to drool over his awesome vocals _first_, his hot face and body coming a close second. Especially when it was adorned in black leather. Yum.

Komogata Yumi had been Kaos' female vocalist, but she'd left the band a couple of months before when she'd fallen pregnant. The music world had been abuzz with rumours for weeks as to who was the father, Kenshin being a hot contender. However, all the talk had been squashed when Yumi had married a man named Shishio Makoto in an intimate ceremony on the Amalfi Coast shortly after she left Kaos.

Sagara Sanosuke played the bass guitar. After Kenshin, he was the most popular member of the band, with his tall muscular frame and bad-boy persona. He was a total god on the bass.

Kaishu Katsu was Kaos' drummer. In Kaoru's opinion, he was one of the absolute best in the industry, with an unbelievable talent for rhythm and percussion.

Myojin Yahiko played the rhythm guitar. He was the youngest member of Kaos at 18, but what he lacked in life experience he more than made up for in sheer talent. He'd been with the band since it had formed, when he was just fifteen years old.

Kenshin stopped himself from leaning forward eagerly when Tae entered the room with their newest applicant. Gods above, she was _hot_. She had a rough, edgy look about her with her blue streaked hair and gothic punk get up, but her huge cerulean eyes spoke volumes about her nervousness. They made him want to tuck her safely into his bed and…

"This is Kamiya Kaoru, applicant 71," Sekihara-san announced, cutting his perving session short. Kaoru. Nice name. It would go well with theirs.

Knowing what was required of her, Kaoru bowed to the four of them gracefully. "It is an honour to meet you," she told them. "Thank you for considering me."

"No need to be so formal, Kamiya-san," Kenshin said, rising from his seat and coming forward. "We try to keep a relaxed atmosphere around here. Please, have a seat." With a light touch under her elbow, he guided her to the empty couch and then resumed his place across from her.

Kaoru knew that she was under the microscope; it was the only thing that prevented her from squealing and getting a nosebleed. Kenshin had _touched_ her! Oh my GOD! Tae sat down beside her, which made sense, Kaoru thought. As the band's manager, she needed to be around for any major decision making.

Once Kaoru had made herself comfortable, Kenshin took his cue to get straight to the point. They's started out that morning making small talk with their applicants and easing into the more serious questions, but that hadn't gotten them anywhere. It had just been a colossal waste of time. He really hoped that wouldn't be the case here, this girl was definitely worth further investigation.

"So, do you have any previous experience with metal music, Kaoru-san?" Kenshin asked, keeping his expression detached. She was everything Kaos needed image-wise, but if she couldn't sing the way they wanted, she would be useless. The amount of women they'd interviewed today that couldn't actually _sing_ had been astounding. Kenshin had a sneaking suspicion that they were simply Kaos fans that had dressed up and pretended to apply so they could meet the band members alone.

"Yes," Kaoru answered. "I was one of the founding members of a little metal band called Equilibrium back home in Hokkaido. We had a male and female vocalist, a drummer and three guitarists. A lot like Kaos' set-up, except we never got anywhere."

That earned a few smiles from the band members. Good Kaoru thought. They know they're good, but they're not totally up themselves.

"And what about performance experience?"

"I used to do guest vocals for a group called Forked Lightning a couple of years ago," Kaoru answered. "Part of their gimmick was that their guest vocalists always had some special talent that they would perform while they were singing, so you had to work really hard if you wanted to perform with them. They were very much into the entertainment factor as well as the music."

She didn't expect any of them to recognise the name. They were a small, little-known metal band originally from Narita. She decided not to mention that one of her ex-boyfriends played bass guitar for the band and had helped her get her first big break by suggesting she do a gig with them.

"That chick was you?!" Sanosuke blurted, earning him surprised glances from the rest of the room.

"Um… you know Forked Lightning?" Kaoru asked tentatively. If he did, things could either go very well, or very badly.

To her acute embarrassment, Sanosuke started digging around in his bag, producing a battered CD case. "This is you, right?" he asked, flicking through the booklet and indicating a small headshot of her.

"Yes," she answered, trying not to blush. She's been going through her hot pink phase then and she'd looked like a bit of a try-hard. Her hair had been cropped quite short with hot pink splices and she'd been heavily into her facial piercings. Out of her eyebrow, nose, labret and tongue piercings, only the barbell through her eyebrow remained now. "I went under the alias of 'Lilith' when I worked with them."

"You know the band, Sano?" Katsu asked, looking mildly interested.

"Yeah," Sanosuke answered with a grin. "They did a lot of experimental and industrial metal, which is why they aren't as well known as some other metal bands. They were actually pretty good though and their guest vocalists were always extremely talented." He looked up at Kaoru with a mischievous expression. "If I remember correctly, Lilith's special talent was doing kenjutsu kata while she sang."

Kaoru suddenly found herself on the receiving end of five very interested looks.

"Is that so?" Kenshin asked, smiling despite himself. This girl just got better and better. "Sano, would you mind putting the CD on for us?"

Kaoru tried her hardest not to fidget, but Kenshin's gaze was unnerving, especially given her rather massive crush on him. She'd done an admirable job so far of hiding it, she only hoped that she could continue to do so if God granted her a miracle and she made it into the band.

"What track would you recommend, 'Lilith'?" Sanosuke asked, his tone light and teasing.

The fact that they were actually interested in hearing her sing was both exhilarating and terrifying. _Oh my God,_ she prayed, _please let me be worthy, please!_

"The instrumentals on track 17 are pretty good," she responded after a moment's consideration. "It's always been my favourite song to perform. It was lots of fun to do a sword kata when Shuici was going mental on the bass. He used to try and mirror my moves."

"'Manifesto of the Manic Depressive'? Good choice," Sanosuke agreed, slotting the CD into the player and selecting the track.

Kaoru held her breath as the intro played. She heard her voice start to sing, smiling slightly at how young she'd sounded back then. Her voice had matured quite a lot since her time with Forked Lightning, as a result of a combination of intensive vocal training, cigarettes and alcohol. Her overall sound was more well-rounded; sultry and dark, less nasal and piercing.

Sneaking glances at the Kaos members while the song played, all the signs were encouraging. Sanosuke was grinning and tapping his foot, Katsu had his eyes closed and an expression of calm concentration, Yahiko was staring at the CD player and Kenshin's eyes were focused inwards. It was obvious that all four of them were busy deconstructing the music.

There was a brief, tense silence when the track finished.

"So, um, what did you think?" Kaoru forced herself to ask. "My voice was a little higher-pitched then than it is now, but I still sound fundamentally the same."

"That's actually surprisingly good," Yahiko said thoughtfully. "Lend us the CD Sano, will ya?"

"Get yer own!"

"It was good," Katsu said casually, leaning forward to address Kaoru and ignoring the bickering that continued behind him. "Your sound is similar to Yumi's, without being so alike that people will think we hired a carbon copy to replace her."

"I guess all that's left now is a live demo," Kenshin said, looking around at his band-mates for confirmation. When they all nodded, he turned back to Kaoru. "I assume you can read sheet music?" He reached forward and gathered the stack of music sitting between them on the coffee table.

"Uh… yes," Kaoru answered. At Kenshin's raised eyebrow, she hastily continued "I've… ah… played the violin for ten years."

Yahiko laughed. "This one's just full of surprises huh?" he remarked, recognizing Tae's calculating glance for what it was. If she was any good, a violin could add some much-needed dimension to Kaos' music, perhaps put them into the same kind of league as some of the more popular operatic metal bands.

Sano plucked the sheets out of Kenshin's hands and presented them to Kaoru with a flourish. "Here's a little something we've just finished," he told her. "It's brand spanking new and it should get released… as soon as we find a female vocalist that works."

"All right!" Katsu announced, standing up and stretching. "Let's get set up and do this. I've been gagging for my drums all frickin' day!"

The music looked interesting. More than interesting. The vocals were well-written and the harmonies had fantastic depth. She was looking forward to hearing this.

"How do you want me?" Kaoru asked, her eyes fixed on the paper. She completely missed the slight amber glint in Kenshin's eyes as he looked at her.

_How do I want you? Well, on the couch would be good for starters, then up against the wall, bent over that amp maybe…_

"Pardon?" he asked instead.

"Sorry," Kaoru looked up at him, her expression sheepish. "I meant, how would you like me to sing? I do a few different styles depending on what suits the music best."

"Ah," Kenshin nodded. "Well, I'll be doing a ballad sort of vocal style for this song, it's a fair bit slower and lighter than most of our earlier stuff. We're trying something different."

"So… slow and 'soulful'?" Kaoru asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Kenshin answered. "Work the angst angle."

Kaoru watched uncertainly as the guys got settled into their places. It was a delicate situation. If she simply walked over and positioned herself behind a mic, it might look as though she was barging in and trying to take over. If she hung back, however, she might appear overly aloof.

Thankfully, Kenshin took care of the problem before it even started. "Call me superstitious, but I always take the right-hand mic," he told her with a grin, indicating that she should take the microphone on the left.

Relieved, Kaoru took her place. As the boys warmed up, she couldn't stop the smile that curved her lips. It felt like forever since she'd last done a gig. When she thought about it, it had been three months since she'd done any musical work. And what a bleak time that had been.

Moving to Tokyo from Narita had been risky, and there were many times when she'd contemplated packing up and going back home again. Her total lack of success in getting a gig so far had forced her to get herself a job as a waitress at one of the hippest new restaurants in Tokyo to make ends meet. She rented a crummy little bedsit nearby and generally only went there to eat and sleep.

So far, it hadn't been a terribly glamorous life, but Kaoru was getting by. The necessity to maintain her image in order to stay musically marketable meant that she had lived on ramen and instant miso in order to save money for clothes, makeup and having her hair maintained.

To keep her ear to the ground, Kaoru had ingratiated herself into all of the grunge and metal circles she possibly could, her work with Forked Lightning giving her enough street cred to be more or less welcomed onto the Tokyo scene.

The opening for a female vocalist in Kaos seemed like a sign from the heavens. She'd been sitting in Black Light one evening, sipping her Malibu and orange and contemplating (yet again) whether it'd be more financially viable to just bugger off to Narita and see if Shuici was still single, when Miaka, the bartender that night, had called her over.

"Check this out, Kaoru-chan," she'd said, sliding a magazine across the bar. Kaoru had nearly fainted when she read the article.

"Kaos. Oh my frickin' _God_," she'd squeaked.

"Yeah," was Miaka's answer. "I thought you'd like that. You can take it with you if you like. Just don't forget your old pal Miaka-chan when you're hitting stages around the world with the likes of Himura Kenshin as your supporting vocalist!"

The music was fantastic. Kaoru loved it immediately, this song would definitely be a hit when it was released. The possibility of her vocals being included in it was enough to make her dizzy with excitement.

As the song finished, the male vocals stopped before the female's, with Kaoru having to hold the closing note for two straight counts of eight. Kenshin took the opportunity to glance over at Kaoru to see how she looked as one half of the front of Kaos.

He couldn't help grinning at the picture she made. She had totally gotten into it. She'd grabbed the mic off the stand and was currently leaning right back to open up her diaphragm, eyes closed, with her free arm in the air. He shared a quick, amused exchange of looks with Katsu, Sano and Yahiko and knew that he had their approval.

As the last notes died, Kaoru opened her eyes and realized that the boys were all grinning at her.

"Eh heh," she said, rubbing the back of her head, "I haven't been in front of the mic for a while, I'm probably rusty…"

"You're hired," Kenshin told her warmly, his smile growing wider at the poleaxed expression on her face.

"Really?" she squeaked. "Me?"

"Yes, idiot, _you_," Yahiko answered, looking exasperated. "Unless it was your evil twin that applied for the gig."

Okay, Kaoru. Don't faint. _Don't faint_. That would look really, _really_ bad, now that you've been hired and everything.

Kenshin watched the emotions flicker across Kaoru's face with amusement. It was obvious she was trying extremely hard to suppress how excited she was. How cute. That meant she was probably a fan of Kaos. Well, if she kept singing like _that_, he wouldn't care if she was the band's number one stalker.

As she talked animatedly with Katsu and Sano, he allowed his eyes to drift over her again. No doubt about it, she had a fantastic body, although she looked a little thin. No matter. Being around Tae and her cooking would put a bit of weight on her.

Lingering on the curves of her backside and chest, he let the lecherous thoughts take over momentarily. God knew it had been ages since a woman appealed to him like Kaoru was seeming to. He'd wanted to toss her on the floor and take her as soon as she'd walked in. Something about her called to his darker instincts, probably the fact that she managed to look so innocent, despite the way she dressed and acted.

She was definitely interesting, no doubt about it. Everything she'd told them just had him wanting to know more about her.

But now that she was a Kaos member… he had the time to find out.

And he _would_ be finding out. Everything.

* * *

**_Author's Notes_**

_Your feedback on this new idea would mean a great deal to me. So clicky that button and have your say!_


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